Director of Partner Engagement

Organizational Overview

Early Matters San Antonio (EMSA) ensures access to high-quality early learning and development for every family by catalyzing the power of people, partnerships, and investment, to make San Antonio the best place in the country for economic mobility, powered by children and families.

Operating as a collective impact organization, Early Matters San Antonio convenes partners from across the early childhood ecosystem to dramatically increase access and quality for our earliest learners. Inclusive of providers, parents, funders, higher education institutions, nonprofits, school systems, government, and community leaders, the Early Matter Partners align on a common agenda and goals, key indicators, and a coordinated and strategic approach to system improvement laid out in the community-developed strategic plan.

Early Matters San Antonio is a part of the Texas A&M San Antonio. Texas A&M San Antonio’s Institute for School and Community Partnerships. It is a model institute partnering with the Texas A&M University at San Antonio and area partners.  The Institute’s mission is to transform students through innovative practices, research, and policy.  The Institute serves as the employer for the Early Matters San Antonio team members.

Position Overview

The Director of Partner Engagement will play a pivotal role in advancing our strategic plan for early childhood education and development. The primary responsibility will be to cultivate warm, trusting, and impactful relationships with a wide array of partners and community stakeholders to drive the goals of the Impact Plan. This role has a key part to play in leading the collective impact approach that the community has begun through the development of the Impact Plan. The Director of Partner Engagement will be part of a small team responsible for driving Early Matters San Antonio work forward, leading projects that EMSA has responsibility to execute as well as leading multiple work groups in advancing the Impact Plan. Each of these will involve significant coordination, communication, and partner engagement across the community.

Responsibilities

1. Partner Engagement:

• Build warm, trusting, and impactful relationships with EMSA partners to complete and execute the Impact Plan for early childhood education and development. This will include early childhood entities, center and home providers, colleges and universities, government agencies, and other community organizations.
• Facilitate transparent and regular communication with EMSA partners, hearing their concerns, challenges, and opportunities to help them find a powerful way to elevate their work and to engage in the work of the Impact Plan. This will include providing updates on progress, opportunities, milestones, and outcomes related to early childhood education initiatives.
• Facilitate collaborative conversations among partner organizations, advancing alignment and effective communication to make new opportunities possible.
• Create the space and the mechanism that facilitates the sharing of celebrations, knowledge, opportunities, best practices, and challenges among partners and stakeholders.
• Work closely with partners to identify opportunities to bring funding, people, or data to bear that will advance the work of the Impact Plan.

2. Project Management and Logistical Support:

• Provide project management support to workgroups advancing the strategic plan.
• Ensure efficient execution of projects and initiatives related to early childhood education.

3. Workgroup Facilitation and Support:

• Support the co-chairs of three workgroups - Access to Quality, Professional Pathways, and Family Engagement – by providing support through project management, meeting preparation, and follow up.

4. Backbone Development:

• Develop and enhance the capacity of EMSA to serve as the backbone organization for early childhood collective impact work.
• Facilitate coordination and alignment among various stakeholders to support the backbone function.

Qualifications

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a critical role in improving access to high quality early learning and development across San Antonio. In addition to a commitment the purpose of Early Matters San Antonio, the ideal candidate must have:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Government Relations, Law, Political Science, or a related field. A master's degree is preferred.
• Experience in collective impact work.
• Strong community engagement and facilitation skills.
• 5-10 years of relevant experience in one of the following areas: collective impact, community/economic development, community health, or education.
• Experience in bridge-building with different groups and stakeholders.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team and ability to work in a complex environment requiring significant collaboration.
• Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to think strategically in the design, integration, and execution of programs.
• Show effectiveness in written and oral communication; ability to communicate complex issues to various audiences.
• Familiarity with San Antonio and understanding of the local community.

Preferred Skills

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree and/or certification in project management preferred.
• Familiarity with social investments preferred.
• Skills in facilitation and experience in conflict resolution.
• Experience in a start-up or entrepreneurial environment.

Reporting

The Early Matters Director of Partner Engagement will report to the Early Matters San Antonio Executive Director.

Compensation

Compensation for the role is competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition, the Early Matters Director of Engagement will be provided with a comprehensive benefits package. All grant funded positions are term limited and contingent upon grant funding. This position is on a hybrid work schedule, with the majority currently being work-from-home.

Application Instructions

Applications should be sent to Mark Larson, Early Matters San Antonio Executive Director at mark.larson@earlymatterssa.org.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person